1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a channel setting apparatus and a method therefor, and more particularly to a channel setting apparatus for use in a wireless communication network, and a method therefor.
2. Description of the Background Art
In a wireless network system, access between wireless network terminals lying in a communication service range is controlled, for instance, by a wireless access unit such as an access point. In general, access points are provided on a wired network, and connected to an external network and other access points through the wired network. Because of this, access points could not be installed where wired connections cannot be laid, so that there was a problem that a wireless network system capable of connecting to an external network cannot be constructed on such premises.
In order to overcome such a problem, a wireless network system is constructed such that a plurality of access points are deployed in a mesh form communicable with one another by radio. This minimizes the wired connections in the wireless network system with an area connectable to the wireless network expanded. A wireless mesh network system based on the concept of such area expansion is now being examined.
In the wireless mesh network system, wireless network terminals all use one and the same radio channel. It is typical in such a network system to establish communication via plural wireless network terminals on the same channel.
However, the wireless network terminals all make use of the same channel, so that if a certain wireless network terminal is transmitting data on that channel, any wireless network terminals residing around that terminal will not be able to perform data transmission.
Thus, in view of the aforementioned limitation to communication in the wireless mesh network system disturbing efficient communication, it has been proposed in the wireless mesh network system that a wireless network terminal has a plurality of channels and simultaneously uses these channels. This enables wireless network terminals to broaden their communicable bands. Thus, the wireless mesh network system is able to provide efficient communication.
Generally, wireless network terminals in wireless network systems have channels increased and communication data allocated to respective channels, thereby making a usable band wider. One of such systems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,058,113 to Etoh. Etoh also discloses a method of communication which adopts a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) system using a broad transmission band. In Etoh, column 5, lines 32-40, it is disclosed that the number of usable channels is increased and communication data is assigned to respective spread codes equivalent to channels and transmitted.
However, in the case where one wireless network terminal is prepared with a plurality of different channels and uses these channels for data transmissions different from each other, the wireless network terminal is generally required to have the channels set before being installed. The wireless network terminal has to have those channels set, taking into account radio wave conditions in a location of installation, such as radio wave conditions between itself and other wireless network terminals. Thus, the channel setting is fairly difficult and time-consuming.
Besides, when a wireless network terminal is relocated after channels have been set once, the channels have also to be set again. In this case, wireless network terminals in wireless network systems thus result in reduction in degree of freedom of deployment.